Selvage-cutter.



A. P. LEWIS.

SELVAGE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1914.

L1 3mm Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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SBLVAGE CUTTER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 8, 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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SELVAGE-CUTTIER.

incense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. so, 11ers.

Application filed May 8, 191%. Serial No. 837,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR P. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Selvage-Cutters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for trimming these'lvage'edges of a moving strip of fabric, more especially textilefabric, and the object of the invention is to provide suitable mechanismwhereby the 'selvage edges of a moving stripof fabric may be trimmedaccurately and quickly, the machine being provided with guiding devicesfor engaging and following the edge of the fabric, said guiding devicesconnected with a cutter tool whereby the cutting mechanism is guided andshifted to follow the irregularities, undulations or sinuosities of theedge of the fabric, to the end that the working edge of the tool willfollow the inner or fabric-engaging edge of the selvage.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of partsconstituting the invention to be hereinafter specifically described andiilustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereofwherein is shown. the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it isto be understood that changes, variations and modifications can beresorted to which come within the scope of the matter hereinafterclaimed.

in the drawings in which similar reference numerals indicate like partsin the different figures, Figure l, is a view in side elevation of aportion of the device embodying this invention; Figs. 2 and 3, arerespectively sectional and side views of the device shown in Fig. 1;Figs. 4 and 5, are details of portions of the mechanism; and, Fig. 6, isa view in side elevation of the device with portions thereof in section.

The device is adapted to be used upon a passing strip of fabric, such astextile fabric, provided with selvage edges on both sides and held undertension and fed to the machine and carried therefrom by means not herenecessary to describe, and which form no part of this invention.

The device embodies a supporting frame 1 provided with legs 2 arrangedin pairs and with the pairs positioned on opposite sides of the movingstrip of fabric. The frame 1 extends transversely under the strip andprojects laterally on both sides therefrom. The upper face of the frame1 is provided with a transversely-extending dove-tailed projection 3constituting ways for the transverse sliding movement for a pair ofselvage cutters one of which is mounted on each side of the strip to betrimmed and as they are identical, it is believed that a description ofone will suflice for the explanation of both. Adapted to be mounted onthe ways 3 are platforms 4; provided with dove-tailed recesses toreceive the projections 3 so that any mechanism mounted on eitherplatform 4 may be shifted toward and away from the central longitudinalline of the strip of fabric. In order to effect this movement of theplatform 4, there is provided in the frame 1 threaded shafts 5, bearinghand-wheels 6, which receive depending nuts 77 secured to the under faceof each of the platforms 4: and as the hand wheels 6 are rotated theplatforms are transversely shifted at will. Mounted on each of theframes 1 is a supporting frame 8 preferably somewhat in the shape of aninverted U and on the upper face of these oppositely-disposed frames 8are a plurality of pairs of journal bearings 9, 10, 11 and 12. Mountedin these pairs of journal bearings are the axles of a plurality of idlerrolls 13, 14:, 15 and 16. The intermediate rolls 14 and 15 are slightlyelevated above the end rolls 13 and 16 and all of these rolls areadapted to support and assist the progress of the continuous strip offabric 92 which passes over the upper portions of their peripheries. ASbefore stated, the mechanism on each side of the strip is the same, andhence, the description applicable to one applies with equal force withrespect to the companion mechanism on the opposite side.

Mounted on each of the platforms f: and shiftable therewith is a hollowboa-like cas ing 1'? preferably of a suitable size and height to passunder the upper horizontal portion of the inverted This casing consistsof a pair of side walls 18 and 19, end walls 2G and 21, and. upper andlower walls 22 and 23. The upper wall is provided with a transverse slotor open ing 24: and. adjacent thereto the wall 22 is d-shaped frame 8.

fit?

, so positioned 1s provided with a dove-tailed groove to receive theribs 25. Mounted on the carriage 26 is a motor 27 on the armature shaftofwhich is mounted a rotary, circularlyformed cutting tool 28. Thecarriage 26 is that the armature-shaft of the motor 27 projects inwardlytoward the strip of material between the bearings for the idler rolls 15and 16. Depending from the carriage 26 is a lug 29 provided with athreaded aperture to receive a threaded rotatable shaft 30 mounted insuitable bearings in the walls 18 and 19 of the casing 17. Mountedon theshaft 30 is a gear 31. Also mounted in suitable bearings in the walls 18and 19 is a shaft 32 on which is mounted a gear. 33 adapted to intermeshwith the gear 31. Mounted on the shaft 32 is a smaller gear 34, andbelowthe shaft 32 is a shaft 35 similarly mounted, which bears a spurgear 36 adapted to intermesh with the gear 34. Also mounted in suitablebearings in the members 18 and 19 is a countershaft 37 which bears agear38 adapted to intermesh with the gear 36,-. and loosely mounted on theshaft 32 is a gear 39, the hub of which is fashioned to constitute onemember of a friction clutch, and on the shaft 37 is splined a companionclutch member 43 provided in the peripheral face thereof with a grooveto receive the nogs carried by a bifurcated clutch lever 44. Mounted onthe shaft 32 is. a worm-wheel 45 which is adapted to intermesh with aworm 46 on an armature-shaft 47 of an independent motor 48' mounted onthe platform 4, and arranged with the armature shaft 47 at right angleswith respectto the shaft 32.

Secured to the upper face of the platform 4 approximately below theposition occupied by the rolls 13 and 14 is a tank 49 and extendingacross the open upper end of which is a rail 50 and along each side ofwhich are a pair of guides 51. Adapted to move longitudinally of thetank and transversely of the line of the strip of fabric is a carriage52 provided withrollers 53 adapted to run on the rail 50. The carriage52 bears an upwardly-extending, approximately centrally-arrangedpedestal 54 on which are mounted a plurality of pins 55 on which arerotatable rolls 56 preferably formed of an insulating and wear-resistingsubstance such as glass. These rollers 56 are constantly held againstthe edge of the strip of fabric 92 by reason of the fact that thecarriage 52 is constantly drawn through the fabric by a spring 57.Secured to opposite sides of the tank 49 are a pair of plates 58, heldin place through the medium of hold-fast devices 59, and'which support apivot 60 on which is mounted an inverted T-shaped circuit closer 61 thelateral termini of which are provided with contact fingers 62. Thecentral upwardly-extending portion of the member 61 is flexiblyconnected with the carriage 52 so that as this carriage is shifted alongthe rails 50 the lower diverging ends of the member 61 will be rocked soas to lower or raise either of the contact fingers 62 as the case maybe. Positioned within the tank 49 are a pair of cups 63 and 64containing mercury. Secured to the outer face of the wall 20 of thecasing 17 is a bracket 65 on which is mounted a solenoid 66 and on'theouter face of the opposite wall 21 of the casing 17 is a bracket 67which bears a solenoid 68. Slidably mounted in the solenoids 68 and 67are armatures 69 surrounded by coiled springs 70 the normal tendenciesof which are to force the armature shafts out of the solenoids and keepthem in this position until the magnetic action of the solenoids drawsthem inwardly. The outer portion of the armature 69 in the solenoid 66is pivotally connected with the lever 41, and the armature in thesolenoid 68 is pivotally connected at its outer end with a lever 44. Theclutch lever 44 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 71 on the wall 21 ofthe casing 17 and the clutch lever 41 is pivotally mounted on a bracket72 on the wall 20 of the casing. From the mercury in the cup 63 extendsa wire 73 to the solenoid 66 and from the solenoid extends a wire 74 toa wire 75 which connects with a battery or other source of electricalenergy 76. From the battery there extends a wire 77 to the T- shapedcircuit breaker 61. From the mercury in the cup 64 extends a wire 78 tothe solenoid 68 and from thence extends a wire 79 to the wire 75. In thewire 74 is a circuit breaker 80 and in the wire 79 is a circuit breaker81. Mounted on the depending screw-threaded lug 29 on the carriage 26are a pair of projecting members 82 adapted to engage either of thecircuit breakers 80 and 81 for operating them, as will more fully appearlater. Secured preferably to the side of the motor 27 is an arm 85projecting inwardly and terminating near the selvage cutting tool 28 andthis arm bears is near its inner end and adjacent to the cutting tool 28a roller 86.

The operation of the device as described, is as follows: The strip offabric 92 in a taut condition, is led over the rollers 13-16 lit tlti

curves away therefrom,

mas er Experience has demonstrated that strips of commercial fabric areby no means straight but have an undulating conformation caused by meansnot necessary here to discuss, but as the regular portions pass therollers 56 the latter follow the irregularities of the selvage edges andare shifted thereby. In view of the existence of these undulations orsinuosities it becomes necessary in. order to accurately trim the fabricto constantly maintain the tool at approximately the proper relativeposition to accomplish the trimming operation so that the Width of thestrip of fabric will be constant at all times, in so far as is possible.This is accomplished in the following manner, reference being directedto Fig. 6: As the side of the strip of fabric which. is engaged by oneset of rollers 56 in Fig. 6 the carriage 52 will shift to the right inthis figure to cause the roller to follow the edge of the selvage and indoing this, the upper end of the T-shaped circuit breaker 61 is rockedto the, right, causing the contact nger 62 to dip in the mercury in thecup 4 which closes an electrical circuit through the solenoid 68 to drawthe armature 69 inwardly thereby shifting the lever at throwing theclutch member 43 into engagement with the clutch member on the hub ofthe gear 42, which as before stated, is loose on the shaft 37, but

intermeshes with the gear 39' on the shaft 32. The resulting revolutionof the shaft 3'? is transmitted to the gear 38 which in turn rotates thegears 37, 34:, 33 and the gear 31, which is mounted on the shaft therebyrotating the same, causing the threaded nut 29 on the carriage 26hearing the motor 27 to shift its position to follow the movement of theroller 56. On the contrary, if the-carriage 52 is forced to the left inFig. 6-the contact finger 62 dips in the mercury in the cup 63 closingthe circuit through the solenoid 66 thereby shifting the lever 41 whichthrows the clutch member 10 into en gagement with the clutch member onthe gear 39 causing revolution of the shaft 32 which rotates the gear 33intermeshed with the gear 31 on the shaft 30, but in the reverserotation, causing the motor and cut ting tool to move in the oppositedirection.

The circuit breakers and 81 are secured in the proper position to beoperated alternately by the member 82 on the threaded lug 29 when thecarriage 26 and motor 27 have moved in either direction farther thansafety dictates, thereby opening one circuit and preventing a furthershifting movement of the carriage 26 until it has been moved to itsoperative position to permit the respective cucuit breaker to close toreestablish the circuit through the proper solenoid. Secured either tothe motor car riage 26 or the motor 27 is an inwardly-projecting-arm 85terminating near the cuttingtool. The inner end of the arm 85 isprovided with an idler roll 86 the object and function of'which is todivert the trimmed selvage' from the strip of material from which it hasbeen trimmed.

1.. A device for trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricembodying a shiftably-mounted knife, means contacting solely with theedge of the fabric arranged to be shifted by its engagement with themeanderin edge thereof, said .means having connection with said knifefor correspondingly changing the position of the latter.

2. A. devicefor trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricembodying a shiftably-mounted knife, means positioned wholly to one sideof and constantly held in contacting relation with the edge of thefabric and arranged to be shifted by the meandering edge thereof,mechanism for shifting said knife, said means having connection with theedgaengagement means for inducing corresponding changes of position ofthe knife.

3. A device. for trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricembodyiiig a shiftably-mounted knife, mechanism for shifting theposition of said knife, means positioned wholly to one side of andnormally held in contacting relation with the edge of the fabric andarranged to be shifted by the unevenness of the edge thereof, said meanshaving connection with the mechanism for shifting the position of saidknife whereby a change of position of the latter is produced by thechanges of position of the edge-engaging means.

42. Adevice for trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricembodying a shiftably-mounted knife, mechanism for shifting the positionof said knife, a shiftable carriage, means on said carriage positionedwholly to one side of the strip of fabric adapted to contact with theedge of the moving fabric, means to constantly maintain said carriage inposition to effect said contacting engagement, means connecting said'carriage with the knife-shifting mechanism whereby any movement of theformer produces a corresponding movement of the knife.

5. A device for trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricembodying a shiftably-mounted knife, mechanism for shifting the positionof said knife, a shiftable carriage-carrying means positioned wholly toone side of said strip and normally held in contacting engagement theedge of the fabric and arranged tobe moved by its engagement With theuneven portions thereof, means connecting the carriage with theknifehifting mechanism possessing the function of shifting the knifeWhenever the position of the carriage changes- 6. A device for trimmingthe selvage from a moving strip of fabric embodying a trim ming knife, ashiftable carriage for supporting said knife, means for shifting saidcarriage, a second carriage provided with mechanism adapted to engagethe edge of a moving strip of fabric and be correspondingly shifted bythe unevennesses thereof said means positioned to one side of said stripof fabric, means connecting said carriages whereby any change ofposition of the carriage-engaging edge of the fabric produces acorresponding change of position of the knife-carrying carriage.

7. A device for trimming the selvage from a moving strip of fabricinvolving a trimming knife, a shiftable, carriage for said knife,mechanism adapted to shift said carriage, a second carriage shiftablymounted and provided with means engagin the side edge of the movingfabric and s 'fted in position by its engagement with the unevenportions thereof positioned to one side of and means connecting saidsecond carriage with the mechanism for operating the knifecarryingcarriage, said means having the function of inducing a change ofposition of the latter to correspond with each change of position ofthecarriage having engagement With the edge of the fabric.

8. A selvage trimmer adapted to trim the selvage from a moving strip. offabric com-' prising, a trimming tool, a motor for'opcrating saidtrimming tool, a shiftable carriage to support said motor, mechanism toreciprocate said carriage, a second carriage provided With meansengaging the edge of the strip of fabric and shifted by its engagementwith the uneven portions thereof, two independent connecting meansconnecting with said carriage and the mechanism for operating the firstcarriage, one of which is operable when the second carriage is shiftedin one direction, said reciprocating means adapted to be alternated forthe connection of said second carriage to produce corresponding changesof position of the knifecarrying carriage.

9. A- selvage trimmer adapted to trim the selvage from a moving strip offabric comprising a trimming tool means for operating said trimmingtool, a shiftable carriage to support said means, mechanism to shiftsaid carriage in the opposite direction, means having engagement withthe edge of the moving strip of fabric and adapted to induce operationof either of the mechanisms for shifting the tool-carrying carriage.

10. A selvage trimmer adapted to trim the selvage from a moving strip offabric comprising, a trimming tool, means for operating said trimmingtool, a shiftable carriage to support said operating means, mechanism toreciprocate said carriage in one direction and mechanism for shiftingsaid carriage in the opposite direction, means having engagement withthe edge of the strip of moving fabric and shifted by its engagementwith the uneven portions thereof, an electrical circuit breaker operatedby last-named means when the position thereof is changed, electricalcircuits connectin said circuit-breaker with the mechanisms or shiftingsaid carriage, said electric circuits when closed by said circuitbreaker due to the movement of the fabric-engaging means inducingoperation of either of the carriage-shifting mechanisms.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. ARTHUR P. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

Rose M. Ln Mrnnx, ANNA J. GILHOOLY.

